Friday, September 25, 2009

festival focus: michaelmas

we took september 21st thru sept 24th 'off' to prepare for the festival michaelmas (september 29th).

michaelmas was a festival unknown to me before we discovered the beautiful world of waldorf, but it is one that we all look forward to celebrating each year.

there was a great battle in heaven in which the archangel michael triumphs over the dragon (satan), and he is cast into the earth. michaelmas is about more than just the battle of good vs. evil, it is also about balance. michaelmas falls within the zodiac sign of libra (the scales), and also very near the balance of equal daylight & darkness. "to achieve balance between that part of us that belongs to nature, and the part of us which strives for goals which are not to be our 'human nature', we have to outweigh the decline into death and darkness to which autumn would lead us. through our own efforts, we must discover new inner resources which can help us to grow towards life and light." (all year round, ann druitt, et. at)

last week we added a michaelmas verse to our morning circle.(set to the tune of The Ants Go Marching One by One (Hurrah, hurrah!)

the autumn wind blows open the gate. hurrah, hurrah!brave st. michael for you we wait. hurrah, hurrah!we follow you, show us the waywith joy we greet this autumn day

and we all say good morning- good morning, good morning!the silver rain, the shining sun. hurrah, hurrah!the field where scarlet poppies run. hurrah, hurrah!

the fallen leaves blow up & awaywith joy we greet this autumn dayand we all say good morning- good morning, good morning!

monday, september 21st:

*tell the story of st. michael(there are many, many versions; some much more graphic than others; choose carefully!)

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About Me

i am a stay-at home mama to 3 boys (12, 9 & 6), and our newest addition, a baby girl...Evyn (3)! we homeschool using a waldorf-inspired approach, and do our best to treat each day as the gift that it is.